


Into the Abyss

by Cartadwarfwithaheartofgold (manka)



Series: How to Win a Losing Hand: One-Shots from the Love Story of Varric Tethras and Maria Cadash (Canon Dragon Age Setting) [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dragon Age: Inquisition Quest - Here Lies the Abyss, F/M, Feelings Realization, Flirting, Fluff and Humor, Inquisitor Adaar universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:40:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26330530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manka/pseuds/Cartadwarfwithaheartofgold
Summary: In an alternate universe, Athena Adaar gets the glory of Inquisitor, but Maria Cadash sticks around and gets in trouble while driving Varric Tethras the best kind of insane.What happens when Hawke realizes her best friend has caught feelings?
Relationships: Female Cadash/Varric Tethras, Maria Cadash/Varric Tethras - Relationship
Series: How to Win a Losing Hand: One-Shots from the Love Story of Varric Tethras and Maria Cadash (Canon Dragon Age Setting) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1896694
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Into the Abyss

**Author's Note:**

> Occurs in the universe [@tuffypelly](https://tuffypelly.tumblr.com/) and I play in where Maria Cadash was at the conclave spying, but Inquisitor Adaar was the unlucky person up at the Temple. Adaar gets all the glory, Cadash gets up to trouble. Mostly.

Maria Cadash _should_ be scaring red lyrium smugglers out of their holes up and down the Orlesian and Ferelden coasts. That, after all, was what she excelled at. She had a Carta dwarf’s nose for the best bolt holes, a streak of cleverness a mile wide, and a rather reckless amount of bravery, all of which served her well the second the Inquisitor gave the dwarf her own little crew. 

So, the moment Varric saw the bright flash of red in Griffon Wing Keep’s courtyard and heard her unmistakable laugh ringing across the stones, he didn’t know whether to amble over to her side, as leisurely as possible or…

Or wring her damn neck. 

He followed the alluring sound, eyes on the prize as she hopped off the back of one cart into an elf’s arms. The man, one of the Inquisitor’s Valo-Kas, sat her down with a gentlemanly flourish and turned to assist the next human, but Maria had already caught sight of him, grey eyes crackling with wicked amusement. She gestured to the fortress around them while she swaggered towards him. “How many castles does one woman need?” 

She’d gotten sunburned on the trip, just slightly, across the bridge her nose and the bones of cheeks underneath her freckles, the tips of her ears and he’d bet the back of her neck. 

“I’m trying to convince her to get into the real estate business. Obtain dilapidated castles, fix them up, sell them to Orlesian nobility for outrageous sums.” His mouth, Maker bless him, could keep talking even as he found himself captivated by the smooth curl of her lips into that amused smile. 

“Course you are.” Maria shook her head, wrinkling her nose as she struggled to keep a straight face. “Would lose your guild seat if you weren’t thinking about some sort of profit, right?” 

“Andraste, if that’s all it takes…” He chuckled, and he knew he _shouldn’t_ touch her, not here, not with the entire Inquisition army looking, but… it was easy to casually swing and arm around her waist, to feel the heat of her body underneath the thin linen. He stroked a short line from her waist to her navel, quick as a snake, and her gaze turned sultry as she fell into step beside him. 

“Varric, I _just_ got here.” She complained, without any real heat. “Shouldn’t you get me dinner first?” 

“You’re assuming I’m a gentleman instead of a rogue and a scoundrel.” He insisted smoothly. “And as glad as I am to see you, what _are_ you doing here?”

“I came with the army.” Maria smirked. “They’re all here, in case you haven’t noticed.” 

“You’re _not_ part of the army.” Varric insisted. “You’re an archer.” 

“A better one than you.” 

That… was probably true. Still. “Princess, you’re a smuggler.” 

“I’m on sabbatical, remember?” She teased. “Little vacation from the Carta to try saving the world? Same thing _you’re_ doing?” 

She was going to get herself killed. There wasn’t a single part of him that wanted her within a hundred paces of Adamant. He’d been dealing with this weird shit for ten years, she’d been dealing with it for _months_. 

“Listen.” She bumped his hip with hers, a sly smile replacing her amusement. “Let me report in, then I’ll find your tent.” 

He didn’t want to let go, but he forced himself to. She winked before she bolted, a flash of crimson and leather up the stairs. He swore he heard her humming under her breath. 

He stared after her, beginning to plot forlornly. He needed to talk to the Inquisitor. Convince her that Maria Cadash didn’t need to… 

“Maker’s balls.” 

Varric winced. He hadn’t realized Hawke was nearby. He looked up to spot her lounging, unhelpfully, in one of the scrubby courtyard trees. Her blue eyes were glittering with amusement. “Do you see your face?” She asked, grinning.

“If I started looking in every mirror like you do, the Inquisition wouldn’t be big enough for both our egos.” He retorted quickly, anything to get Hawke off of whatever she thought she’d seen. 

Hawke dropped from the tree in one ungraceful tangle of long limbs, face split open by a smile so broad one would swore every Satlinalia had come at once. “You can’t hide from me, dwarf. I _saw_ you. _”_

“I hope you were taking notes from the master of courtly flirtat-” 

“You love her.” Hawke sounded absolutely delighted, clapping her hands together to punctuate the loaded sentence. “You _love_ her.” 

“The only thing I love is the sound of my own voice.” Varric lied smoothly. “And my bed. In Kirkwall.” 

“If you could have it back right now, you wouldn’t go.” Hawke bit her lip, hiding her laugh. “Unless it contained one _spectacularly_ curvy redhead. And we both know it.” 

He knew it. He knew it the instant they staggered into Skyhold. Varric couldn’t keep things casual to save his life, no matter what he said, but he couldn’t admit it. Not now, not to Hawke’s simple joy like it was _easy_ for two dwarves like them to fall in love. Not with Adamant looming over them and the sky burning up with the sun ahead. 

“Keep talking, Waffles.” He muttered darkly instead, setting off to find the Inquisitor. 

If he was lucky, he may just convince her to leave their best archer behind. But he doubted it. 

**Author's Note:**

> FINE DWARVEN CHEST HAIR DIRECT FROM KIRKWALL AT [@cartadwarfwithaheartofgold](http://cartadwarfwithaheartofgold.tumblr.com)


End file.
